Aptitude

When Boy Scout Patrick Moore approached the Community Center of La Cañada Flintridge about earning his Eagle Scout award through a project at the center, it took a while to decide the optimum project for him, said Megan Nordvedt, executive director of the center. That’s in part because the youth is part of a large Boy Scout troop — Troop No. 4 in Pasadena — and his troop members are very busy doing good works around the area, she said, adding that the decision also took longer because Moore is such a capable young man, and Nordvedt wanted to make sure the project selected best took advantage of his aptitude and abilities.

A love of the outdoors, nature, animals and baseball combined with a naturally great personality is what makes this week’s Valley Sun All-Star outstanding in his community. Those who know Paradise Canyon Elementary School fourth grader Aidan Phillips say the youth has abilities, aptitude and an excellent attitude. “He’s a wonderful kid, with great manners and a wide variety of interests,” said Cub Scout co-den leader Joan Raney. Raney said Aidan is an active participant in scout meetings, always asking questions or providing a good story or joke.

College-bound high school students can take the ACT Assessment on Dec. 11, the next national test date. The deadline for postmark registration is Nov. 5. The late registration deadline is Nov. 18 (an additional $15 fee is required for late registration). Students can get registration materials from their guidance counselor or they can register online at www.actstudent.org. ACT scores are accepted by virtually all colleges in the nation, including all Ivy League schools.

Everyone knows the Scholastic Aptitude Test is a necessary test required for college. However, a new version of the test was created and given to juniors all over the country this March. Not only was an essay added, but a whole level of knowledge was taken to a higher level. Students have spent rigorous hours preparing for the new test. Besides the math and language sections, a third section related to writing an actual essay was added, making the test 2400 points instead of the previous 1600 points.

The Montrose office of the Automobile Club of Southern California is inviting high school students to register now for the AAA High School Travel Challenge, with more than $100,000 in scholarships rewarding both geography knowledge and aptitude for travel careers. To sign up for the fifth annual scholarship contest, students can visit www.aaa.com/travelchallenge. "The AAA Travel High School Challenge is more than just a geography contest — it tests students' travel literacy by focusing on travel and tourism destinations," said Friedie Forest, the Auto Club's Montrose district manager.

Fifteen La Cañada High School seniors are in the running for one of 8,400 National Merit Scholarships, it was announced Wednesday. The National Merit Scholarship Program released the names of 16,000 semifinalists who each can potentially earn scholarships of up to $2,500. More than $36 million in scholarships will awarded in 2010, the program's 56th year. The scholars are selected for their skills, accomplishments and potential for success in college. La Cañada High seniors Louisa Bihuan Chen, Jessie Cho, May Forssen, Teresa Jiang, Charles Kim, Jason Kim, Raymond Ma, Kayla McCue, Andrew Nelson, Edward Pak, Brian Park, Eric Park, Hayden Speck, Antonia Warner and Patrick Yew are all semifinalists for the award.

By Jim Stratton, superintendent, La Cañada Unified School District | May 4, 2006

Why do we have to take so many tests all the time? It is a question that our students frequently ask and it is a question that deserves an answer. As part of its STAR (Standardized Testing and Reporting) program, the state of California requires that public schools administer a series of tests. Among those exams are the California Standards Tests (administered in April and May) and the California Achievement Test (given to grades three and seven only). Additionally, the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE)

When Harvey Lee Block was in junior high school, he took an aptitude test to determine what professional paths might hold the most promise. At the time, he excelled at athletics and had his heart set on someday earning a football scholarship, so he wasn’t too excited to learn he could have a bright future as a clergyman or social worker. “I laughed at that,” he said. “I really wanted to be an athlete.” Today, the 70-year-old Block is living proof that the test was right.

La Cañada Unified School District students have once again proven themselves to be among the top performers in the state, earning some of the strongest scores on this year’s Standardized Testing and Reporting Program (STAR) exams. The STAR Program exams, known as California Standards Tests, are administered in May to the state’s public school students grades two through 11. They are intended to track students’ progress, and to hold schools accountable for student achievement.

She’s a self-described “typical” girl with an outstanding attitude and an aptitude for art. This week’s Valley Sun All-Star is Leslie McMullin, a senior at La Cañada High School. McMullin has lived in La Cañada since she was 8 years old. She and her family moved here from New Jersey. “When I moved to California, I got a whole new perspective of the world around me,” McMullin wrote in a scholarship application letter. “California is a completely different place than Jersey, not only geographically, but culturally too. There are still some things that I find completely strange about California, like how no one seems to know their neighbors.

A love of the outdoors, nature, animals and baseball combined with a naturally great personality is what makes this week’s Valley Sun All-Star outstanding in his community. Those who know Paradise Canyon Elementary School fourth grader Aidan Phillips say the youth has abilities, aptitude and an excellent attitude. “He’s a wonderful kid, with great manners and a wide variety of interests,” said Cub Scout co-den leader Joan Raney. Raney said Aidan is an active participant in scout meetings, always asking questions or providing a good story or joke.

When Boy Scout Patrick Moore approached the Community Center of La Cañada Flintridge about earning his Eagle Scout award through a project at the center, it took a while to decide the optimum project for him, said Megan Nordvedt, executive director of the center. That’s in part because the youth is part of a large Boy Scout troop — Troop No. 4 in Pasadena — and his troop members are very busy doing good works around the area, she said, adding that the decision also took longer because Moore is such a capable young man, and Nordvedt wanted to make sure the project selected best took advantage of his aptitude and abilities.